No, it's not a misprint, this single disc really does contain
more than four hours of music. The technique is simple enough;
instead of offering a ‘hybrid’ with three playback options – stereo
CD and multi-channel/stereo SACD – all the available space is
devoted to a stereo-only SACD layer. BIS have done the same with
Mendelssohn’s String Symphonies (BIS SACD 1738) and Bach’s
Complete Organ Works (BIS SACD 1527/8). It's the kind of
lateral thinking that makes BIS one of the most dynamic and forward-looking
record labels around.

These Mendelssohn
concertos may date from the 1990s but they are as fresh and
invigorating as any in the catalogue. The disc opens with the
1844 version of the E minor violin concerto, the autograph score
of which was rediscovered in 1989. For someone so dedicated
to contemporary music the Dutch-born violinist Isabelle van
Keulen responds sympathetically to this concerto. Her approach
is bright-toned and clear-eyed but she seems a little cool in
the Allegro con fuoco. That said, she conjures up some
lovely sounds in the Andante that follows.

The Amsterdam Sinfonietta,
formed in 1988, are equally crisp and clear. One might characterise
their playing as well drilled, perhaps a little lacking in affection
and Mendelssohnian 'bounce'. They do improve, though, and one
soon warms to their lithe, athletic sound. Both soloist and
orchestra make a spirited dash to the finish in the concluding
Allegro.

By contrast the
earlier D minor violin concerto – Mendelssohn was just 13 when
he wrote it – is more of a leisurely walk, relaxed and full
of gentle charm. There is a real sense of rapport between soloist
and players, the music-making much more buoyant than before.
Van Keulen sounds warmer and more affectionate too, the Sinfonietta's
lower strings particularly seductive. And if the first two movements
are a stroll then the final Allegro is a short but bracing
carriage ride. A winning performance of this most Mozartian
of concertos.

The D minor concerto
for violin, piano and strings is one of the most engaging pieces
on this disc. Ronald Brautigam, whose continuing Beethoven
sonata cycle for BIS has garnered much praise, is an ideal partner
for van Keulen. His pianism is understated but never dull, his
playing unfailingly responsive. Indeed, there’s an intuitive
intensity here that one usually associates with the very best
chamber ensembles. Brautigam is mercurial but light of touch
– surely Gottschalk ‘borrowed’ that scampering figure in the
first movement for his Célèbre Tarantelle – and he always
phrases with great naturalness, adding greatly to the air of
spontaneous music-making. A deeply satisfying performance all
round.

Mercurial is certainly
the right word for Brautigam's playing in the virtuosic Capriccio,
Rondo and Serenade. This isn't Mendelssohn at
his best – the Rondo can seem a little threadbare – but
it's diverting stuff nonetheless. The orchestra sounds a little
fierce in the Capriccio, less so in the Rondo
and Serenade, but the piano is well recorded in all three.
Once again Brautigam shows good judgment, the scale of his readings
just right for this music. Conductor Lev Markiz keeps his players
in check during the soloist's star-turns yet responds with verve
when required.

The Sinfonietta
strings are splendid in the A minor concerto, playing with precision
and bite in the outer movements and with gossamer lightness
in the lovely Adagio. The recording is naturally balanced
and the stereo spread is very convincing indeed. No qualms about
the soloist either; Brautigam despatches the Allegro
finale with his usual understated brilliance.

And there's virtuosity
and weight aplenty in the big-boned G minor concerto, where
the orchestra is in commanding form. As ever, there is a pleasing
sense of proportion and balance to the performance, which is
never compromised by empty showmanship. Just listen to the miraculous
Andante, seven minutes of sustained loveliness, followed
by a pulse-racing Presto. Definitely the highlight of
this well-filled disc.

The less popular
second concerto – in D minor – seems several shades darker than
its predecessor. It has that imposing, rough-hewn quality one
associates with Beethoven's later concertos. There is something
of Brahms in the Presto but more than anything Brautigam’s
searching performance makes one long to hear him in the ‘Emperor’.
He has already recorded the first and third concertos on BIS
SACD 1692.

By contrast the
works for two pianos are much less memorable. And as splendid
as Roland Pöntinen and Love Derwinger undoubtedly are these
show-off pieces are hardly vintage Mendelssohn. Also, the recordings
are on the bright side, which rather emphasises the surface
glitter of this music.

So, hats off to
Robert von Bahr at BIS for an enterprising release. Apart from
offering exceptional value for money – four CDs for the price
of one – the performances are top-notch too. But the real star
is Ronald Brautigam, who plays with rare sensitivity and intelligence.
Add to all these virtues full and informative liner-notes and
you have a very desirable disc indeed.

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